Sam Lee Umberger, 78, of Atkins died Sept. 20, 2000.
Born Jan. 23, 1922 in Enid, Okla., a son of Chester Umberger and Dollie Gregory Umberger, he was a World War II, Korea, and Vietnam veteran serving in the Merchant Marines.
Survivors include his wife, Pauline Montgomery Nichols Umberger of Atkins, two sons, Bob Umberger and Mike Umberger, both of Hanna, Wyo.; four step-sons, Jerry Nichols of Mablevale, Tim Nichols of Russellville, James and Paul Nichols of Atkins; one sister, Lanora Stites of Santa Anna, Calif.; five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were Saturday, Sept. 23 at Elmwood cemetery with the Bro. Bob Woody officiating.
Neelie Vaughan
Neelie Edge Bost Vaughan, died Sunday, Feb. 25, 2001, at her home in Searcy.
She was born in Atkins Aug. 25, 1914, to Joe and Neelie Burnett Edge. She graduated from Russellville High School and attended the now Arkansas Polytechnic College in Russellville. She was a member of the First United Methodi st Church and Chapter AA of P.E.O. Sisterhood.
Preceding her in death are husbands, Winston Allan Bost and Oran J. Vaughan.
Survivors include one son, Dr. James W. Bost and wife, Emily; one grandson, Christopher Bost and wife, Rita; two step-grandchildren, Jan LaFollette of Greensboro, N.C., and Jon Michael LaFollette of Eugene, Ore.; and a sister-in-law, Frances Bost Cowger, and family of Dardanelle.
Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church in Searcy at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 1 at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens and will be officiated by the Rev. Frank Warden.
Memorials may be made, in lieu of flowers, to First United Methodist Church.
Samuel P. Vinson
Samuel P. Vinson, 87, of Stuttgart, formerly of Memphis, Tenn., died Sept. 9, 2000.
He was president and owner of Vico GM Diesel, lived by Lake Atkins from 1987-1997, was a member of the First Baptist Church of Atkins, 2nd Lt. in the Army during WWII, Mason Park Ave. Lodge #362 and a Shriner.
He is survived by his wife, Mazie Vinson; two daughters, Kay Carroll of Germantown and Sharron Vinson of Roe, and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
Services were Tuesday, Sept. 12 at the Memorial Park Chapel and burial was at the Memorial Park cemetery.
Bill J. Virden
Bill J. Virden, 100, of Atkins died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000.
He was born July 6, 1900, in Atkins, to the late Jim and Elizabeth Smith Virden. He was a retired farmer, a lover of horses and a 70-year member of the Saint Joe Free Will Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lethie McGee Virden; two brothers, W.J. and Edward Virden; three sisters, Mary Virden, Martha Virden Stamps, and Johnnie Virden Teague.
Survivors include two sons and one daughter-in-law, J.D. and Maxine Virden of Atkins and Jerry W. Virden of Little Rock; two daughters and one son-in-law, Emma Zee Shackleford of Little Rock and Wilma and Robert Barefield of Russellville; five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Funeral service was Tuesday, Jan. 2, at the Lemley Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Bob Duvall officiating. Burial was at the Saint Joe cemetery under the direction of the Lemley Funeral Service.
Pallbearers include Kim, John, Josh, Douglas and Chris Virden, and James E. Stamps. Honorary pallbearers were Alpha Johnston and Carl Norris.
Memorials can be made to the St. Joe cemetery fund, c/o Susan Haney, P.O. Box 126, Atkins, Ark., 72823.
Floye Warren
Floye Warren, 81, of Atkins died Sunday, May 20, 2001, at the Atkins Nursing Center.
She was born on Aug. 8, 1919, at Moreland and was the daughter of the late Chester U. and Cassie Brown Kinder. She was the widow of the Rev. James Ellis Warren, a former employee of the Atkins Pickle Company, and a member of the Oak Grove Freewill Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Kenneth, Shirley, Jerry and Trish Warren, all of Russellville; two daughters and sons-in-law, Nina and Jennings Loveless and Regina and Mark Hybner, all of Russellville; one brother, J.C. Kinder of Russellville; one sister, Buna Reed of Russellville; two sisters-in-law, Lorene Logue of Maize, Kan., and Louise Pile of Wichita, Kan.; eight grandchildren; three great- grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. today (Wednesday) at the Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church with the Rev. Bob Alexander, the Rev. Geno Johnston and the Rev. James Chronister officiating. Burial will be in the St. Joe cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Freddie Bowden, Danny Johnston, Stacy Barton, Scott Warren, Neal Douglas, Billy Featherston, and Scotty and Bobby Reed.
Honorary pallbearers include Paul David, Eugene, Randall and Thomas Duvall, Flint Rodgers, Cotton and Ronny Johnston, Jack George, and Wendell Cook.
Ronnie Williamson
Ronnie Williamson, 45, of Dover, died Friday, May 25, 2001, at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Russellville.
A son of the late Charles Boyd Williamson, he was an employee of Tyson Foods, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and formerly attended the Church of Christ and the Assembly of God Church.
Survivors include his mother, Lorene Owens of Dover; a brother, Tommy Williamson of Dover; and two half-sisters, Christina and Mary Lou Williamson, both of Clarksville.
Graveside service and burial were held Tuesday, at Lane cemetery, near Dover, with the Rev. Redmond Eubanks officiating. Arrangements were by Shinn Funeral Service.
Active pallbearers were Timmy Scarber, Ronnie Sims, Danny Warnick, Chuck and Brandon Casey, James Chance and Dallas Standridge. Honorary pallbearers were Charles Ledford, Michael Rayburn and Johnny Baker.
Zora M. Wright
Zora M. Wright, 103, of Atkins, died Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2000, at the Russellville Nursing Center.
She was born Feb. 4, 1897, in Indian Territory in Oklahoma, and was the daughter of the late W.J. and Addie Bennett Mahair. She was a member of the Hopewell Baptist Church and was a retired factory worker and housewife.
Survivors include two daughters, Opal Shorey of Atkins and Vernie Scott of Russellville; one daughter-in-law, Hilda Wright of Hot Springs; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Saturday, Dec. 23 at the Lemley Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Charley Casto officiating. A private burial was held at the Oakland cemetery.
Pallbearers were Ellis Reynolds, J. B. Murdoch, Sam Young, Leonard Shackleford, Johnny Tyson, and Alpha Johnston.
Alta Wisdom
Alta Wisdom, 97, a resident of Russellville, formerly of Hector, and Crowell, Texas, died Thursday, July 27, 2000 at Legacy Lodge Nursing Home at Russellville.
Born April 30, 1903 at Crowell (Foard Co.), Texas, a daughter of Aquilla and Laura Vernon Johnson, she graduated with a teaching degree and taught school at Beaver school systems in Texas, and moving to Arkansas, she was a substitute teacher in the Hector School systems. In later years, she was a homemaker. She taught Sunday school for many years and enjoyed playing the piano. She was a charter member of Hector Baptist Church, member of the Eastern Star and member of the Fair Park Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Clayton Wisdom; her parents; two daughters and sons-in-law, Jean and Boyd Wooten, Caroline and Lionell Patton; one granddaughter, Nina Patton; and one great-grandson, Austin Fisher.
Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Max and Wanda Wisdom and Clinton and Lojean Wisdom, all of Hector; one daughter and son-in-law, Helen and Charles Laffoon of Hector; one brother and sister-in-law, Virgil and Bonnie Johnson of Crowell, Texas; 14 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; six great-great grandchildren; friends and relatives.
Funeral service was Saturday, July 29 at the Humphrey Chapel with the Rev. Todd Davis officiating. Burial was at the McFadden cemetery at Dover. Memorials may be made to the Gideon's International, P.O. Box 1604, Russellville, AR 72811.
